Ads Pulled Over Diana's Death

The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, has had a ripple effect on the ad world-at least four advertisers have yanked ads with unfortunate references to the Royal Family. Pepsi-Cola Co. said Thursday that it would stop airing a spot by BBDO New York for Mug Root Beer which shows the Queen stage-diving from a balcony on Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday, Harrison Creative Directions in Dallas said it would pull a TV spot (shown here) for Colortyme, a rent-to-own store chain, due to a segment in which a snooty butler announces "Lady Di" from a list of famous names. Fast-food restaurant chain Wendy's International pulled a commercial by Bates USA, New York, early last week in which founder Dave Thomas asked a Queen Elizabeth impersonator, "So, how're the kids?" Lastly, Weight Watchers spiked thousands of direct mail brochures which showed a picture of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and the words, "It's harder than outrunning the paparazzi"-a reference to the difficulty of losing weight-underneath. The campaign is handled by Lowe & Partners/SMS, New York. -Jim Edwards

The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, has had a ripple effect on the ad world-at least four advertisers have yanked ads with unfortunate references to the Royal Family. Pepsi-Cola Co. said Thursday that it would stop airing a spot by BBDO New York for Mug Root Beer which shows the Queen stage-diving from a balcony on Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday, Harrison Creative Directions in Dallas said it would pull a TV spot (shown here) for Colortyme, a rent-to-own store chain, due to a segment in which a snooty butler announces "Lady Di" from a list of famous names. Fast-food restaurant chain Wendy's International pulled a commercial by Bates USA, New York, early last week in which founder Dave Thomas asked a Queen Elizabeth impersonator, "So, how're the kids?" Lastly, Weight Watchers spiked thousands of direct mail brochures which showed a picture of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and the words, "It's harder than outrunning the paparazzi"-a reference to the difficulty of losing weight-underneath. The campaign is handled by Lowe & Partners/SMS, New York. -Jim Edwards